


The Fire of the Pistons

by mutents



Series: The Road Before Us [3]
Category: Father Brown (2013)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, F/M, Pre-Relationship, Snowed In, Winter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-21
Updated: 2017-05-21
Packaged: 2018-11-03 05:47:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,421
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10960959
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mutents/pseuds/mutents
Summary: "Snow's damn near reaching the second floor," Sid said, settling on the settee across from Lady Felicia, throwing his legs up to lay across it.





	The Fire of the Pistons

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place in the winter of 1947.

"Snow's damn near reaching the second floor," Sid said, settling on the settee across from Lady Felicia, throwing his legs up to lay across it.

"Sid, what have I told you about putting your feet on my furniture?" Felicia muttered, turning the page of her book.

"Yeah, yeah, don't bother," Sid said, shifting on the settee so that his feet dangled over the armrest. "I hate being stuck inside. There's fuck all to do in here."

"You could read one of my books," Felicia said, gesturing to the shelves that surrounded them.

"I've already read through all the dirty parts," he replied, turning to smirk at Felicia.

"You're an absolute cad, Sidney Carter," Felicia said, looking up from the book in her lap.

"Yeah, but you wouldn't have it any other way," Sid said, turning onto his side.

She gave him a warm grin before turning back to her book.

Sid stayed where he was, admiring Lady Felicia. He'd realized rather early into his employment that she was a beautiful woman - hell, it had sunk in that day in the church. Not only was she a rather beautiful woman, but she was sharp as well. Talented and witty... Kind and openhearted... Sid wasn't sure at what point he'd fallen into lust with Lady Felicia, but at some point he had.

"Dreadful weather we're having," Bunty said, stepping into library and settling onto the free chair, throwing her feet over the side and grinning at the two adults. "What ever are we going to do? Board games? I'm sure I could wrestle up a deck of cards."

"Now there's an idea!" Sid exclaimed, placing his feet on the floor and sitting up. 

"Or, we could have a simple day in," Felicia said, turning another page of her book.

"Come now, Auntie Felicia!" Bunty said, straightening in her chair and narrowing her eyes at the older woman. "It's already boring enough, being stuck in here..."

"That's what I was telling her," Sid said.

"Please, Auntie Felicia... Let's do something fun!"

Felicia sighed, reaching for the corner of the page and folding it down, then setting it on the side table. "And what would you like to do?"

Bunty gave an excited clap. "Wonderful!" She stood quickly, beginning to pace. "Now, usually I'd suggest a snowball fight, or maybe even sledding, but considering we are literally past our ears in snow, I have a feeling we won't be going outside. So, what I'd like to suggest is this: hot chocolate and a game."

Sid smiled, pushing himself to his feet. "I like this plan," he said, crossing his arms.

Felicia sighed, rolling her eyes affectionately. "Sid, would you go down to the kitchen and make a few mugs of hot chocolate for us all? I think I might be able to scrounge up a deck of cards."

* * *

"Lady Felicia..." Sid murmured, looking over his hand of cards. "Do you have any aces?"

Felicia's eyes narrowed, reaching for a few cards and passing them to him. "You must be cheating...!"

"I'm not," he said, giving her an impish grin. "You just have tells."

Bunty glanced between the two adults, snickering loudly. "You two are hilarious!"

"Oh, don't get too comfortable there, Miss Windermere," Sid said, turning his attention to Lady Felicia's niece. "I'll be taking your nines now," he said, open palming to her.

"You're a dirty rotten cheat, Sid Carter," Bunty said, passing him her cards, allowing him to go out.

"It's not cheating ladies, it's simply skill. I've played a lot of games with the Father during my youth, and he's got a hell of a poker face for a priest." He stood, pushing against the table. "Now, does anyone want any more hot chocolate?" He asked, grabbing his own mug.

"I could certainly go for another one," Bunty said, lifting her own mug and offering it to him. Moving behind Felicia, he took the cup from the younger woman.

"I would like a bit more as well," Felicia said, leaning her head back and giving him a bright smile.

"Three hot chocolates, coming right up," he said, smiling at both of the women as he picked up Felicia's mug.

As he stepped into the kitchen, he kept the door to the dining room open, moving around the room and picking up the ingredients.

"He's rather cute, Auntie," he heard Bunty murmur.

"I have a feeling he's a little old for you, Bunty," Felicia said, lowering her own voice.

"Ewww! Not for me, Auntie! For you!" Bunty exclaimed, her voice rising.

Sid paused in his preparation, listening closely to what Lady Felicia replied with.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Felicia replied quickly, her tone sharp. "Sid is one of my employees, Bunty."

Sid sighed, returning to the process of making hot chocolate.

"Oh, like that would stop you! You're a Windermere, after all. I can't imagine many of us that would stop... Aside from my stick in the mud father, of course. I don't even think he flirted with my mother."

"It would probably surprise you to learn that your father was quite the flirt in our youth..."

"I don't want to know that about my father," Bunty cut off, her tone full of disgust. "But, honestly, Sid seems fantastic, Auntie! And it's not as though Uncle Monty is around often enough to know your having an affair."

"He might not, Bunty, but I would."

"And?"

"And, I've always tried to draw my line at men in relationships, I certainly should do the same for myself.

"But-"

Sid cut Bunty off, stepping back into the kitchen with the three full mugs. "Alright, the blue one's Lady Felicia's, the red one's Miss Windermere's, and the green one's mine," he said, handing the mugs out before settling back into his chair. "So, who's winning?"

* * *

"Your niece is quite the exhausting young lady, isn't she," Sid muttered, once again stretched out on the settee across from Lady Felicia in her own chair.

"That she is," Lady Felicia sighed, tucking her bare feet underneath her. "Desmond has become rather worried about her. I think he's terrified that she'll make some horrible decision, like not marrying," she continued, rolling her eyes.

"Right," Sid said, nodding his head sagely. "Because becoming a spinster is the worst possible choice any woman could make," he finished, his tone sarcastic.

Felicia chuckled darkly at his comment. "As much as I may agree with your sentiment, I unfortunately do not actually have any control over my brothers decisions."

Sid nodded again, before going quiet. After several minutes of silence, Lady Felicia broke it. "What are you thinking about, Sid?"

"Oh, nothing," Sid quickly said, despite the thoughts that were going around in his head. He couldn't help but wonder about Lady Felicia's thoughts on love and marriage. She wasn't happy with Monty, he knew that much. It was rather obvious; the man was never around, and when he was at the estate he spent all of his time locked away in his office. They didn't even sleep in the same bed when he was around.

"There's no use lying to me, Sid," Felicia said. "I can see the gears turning in your head."

"Just wondering about the state of marriage, that's all." Her's in particular.

"It's a dreadful institution," she quickly replied.

"You certainly don't seem to be suffering to badly from it." Lady Felicia went quiet, causing Sid's attention to shift fully to her. "I just mean..." he started, hoping it wasn't too late to back track.

"Oh, I know what you mean, Sid," she murmured. "You think a large estate and fancy new dresses and cars are the way to a woman's heart. That love comes with a price tag. You couldn't be more wrong. What I want most from Monty is something he fails to provide again and again - his attention. And, perhaps that is too much to ask of Monty. He's a busy man, and I've never been terribly fond of ferrying back and forth between the estate and London. That doesn't mean I don't wish he was around more often. All I've really hoped for is his presence. But, I've become content with my garden parties."

"No you haven't," Sid said, sitting up on the couch, his voice incredulous. "And more importantly, you shouldn't have to."

Felicia stood, moving to stand next to Sid, placing her hand on his shoulder. "You're a good man, Sidney Carter," she said, giving it a squeeze before leaving the library.


End file.
